More than a decade later, former Gamecocks star will get his degree

Ko Simpson left Columbia more than a decade ago, coming off a short-but-memorable career as a Gamecocks and ready for an NFL career.

Saturday, he’ll finish the education that started way back then.

The two-time All-American will graduate with his degree in retail management that began in the spring of 2004. He talked to SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum about what it meant to finally reach that milestone.

“It’s one thing my mom stayed on me about, staying in school,” Simpson said. “You can play sports but at the end of the day, you have to have something to fall back on. A degree is something they can’t take away from you. Education, you need that; it’s knowledge. That was one thing I had to do and go back and complete, for college. Not only for my family, I’ve got kids, I’ve got two kids, 9 years old and 4, two boys. Just trying to be a role model for them in their life.”

Simpson had two years of school to finish, and chose to return in part because of roadblocks the lack of a degree created in his post-playing career.

Simpson signed with Lou Holtz out of Rock Hill, and in two seasons was twice an All-American safety, once for Holtz, once for Steve Spurrier. Simpson was taken in the fourth round by Buffalo. He played 41 games in four seasons for the Bill and Detroit Lions.

To return to school, he had to enter an environment that changed a lot in the decade he was gone. He also commuted from Indian Land where he lives, getting up early and spending all day at USC.

He imagined the pride his family would feel with mother, wife, kids and more set to be at his graduation, and he also had a message for student-athletes to maintain their focus in the classroom as well as the field.

One of the ways a lack of degree got in the way was in coaching. He’d coached high school, but wanted to possibly move to the college ranks. That would require more education, and at the time, he made a promise.

“That’s not going to hold me back,” Simpson said. “I’m going to go back and go complete these two years. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had to do in my life, one of the toughest.”

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 12:14 PM with the headline "More than a decade later, former Gamecocks star will get his degree."